Love Clichés
by RashelleAndJag
Summary: It takes a new student at school to make Tommy & Merton (Slash!) see what's always been there. *Complete*
1. Warnings!

            Okay, this is not a happy little fluffy fic, although I'm hoping for a happy ending. This fic contains spoilers for Big Wolf On Campus, (it's a fanfiction, duh) and strong language (translation: people swear) and violence, as well as SLASH!!! This is a slash fanfic, right down to the hurt/comfort clichés. 

            Jag -  *shakes her head* _Don't look at me. I'm the one who writes depressing stories about life and people in general. I had absolutely nothing to do with this. I was remotely traumatized just reading it._

Rashelle – **Well, it wanted to be written. And while this fiction does contain boy/boy romance and love, this fic DOES NOT contain graphic sex of any kind. It more like Will & Grace, but with actual smoochies. So I'll rate it R even though I think I've seen worse PG-13 movies.  **

            If this is not your cup of tea, or if you are offended by the idea of two young persons of the same sex involved in a caring relationship, well, move on then, click the little button pointing to the left and read no further. 

            If you are not scared away, and you want to keep on reading. . . Well, go on, nothing's stopping you.  


	2. Chapter One

**Love Cliché**

Chapter One

            Merton was having another one of _those_ days. He forgot his poly-sci book at home, and had to borrow somebody's but no one would lend it to the freaker anyway. After an embarrassing little session with Tommy wherein he begged Tommy on his hands and knees to borrow somebody's textbook for him. (Tommy and Lori didn't take Political Science) 

            Tommy genuinely didn't understand why he needed to. I mean, Merton might be a freaker to the school, but that's only because people didn't know him, right? And it's just **nice** to lend out a textbook, and Merton was certainly trustworthy. Tommy might understand the fundamentals of loser-hood, but Tommy would give the shirt off his back to the geekiest person in the universe if he was convinced they needed it. Tommy didn't understand why anyone else wouldn't.

            And that was what made Tommy one of the very few Not-Evil werewolves, and the American Golden-boy of Pleasantville, and one of the most popular guys on the planet. It also made Merton want to hit him. Often. 

            So anyway, Tommy asked Sue, who was cute and smart and popular, with gorgeous red hair, if she would loan out her poly-sci book for a good cause.  And quicker than he could say "gothic fantasy guild", he had a textbook. 

            So then, at lunch, someone tripped him. And he had to spend a half hour in the bathroom, washing Mystery Casserole off his shirt. Expensive fabrics, people! And then TNT caught him as he was leaving, and pined him to the wall long enough to steal his Biology homework. 

            So when the day was finally over, and Merton was headed to the Hearse, he was so goddamn happy/relieved/thankful that he didn't watch where he was going. 

            And pow! Right into the new kid. Who was tall. Very tall. And big! And, on close inspection, looked pretty mean. "Watch it, freak!" He shoved Merton to the ground, and kicked him. "People like you should've never been born. Waste of space." 

            Merton's breath whooshed out of him, and he curled up.

            "I heard about you. You're the fuckin' football captain's pet. No one's allowed to touch you, even TNT like that kid Dawkins enough that they pull their punches. They should have given you what you deserved a long time ago."  He kicked Merton again, and walked away. 

            Merton just got up, and walked to the car. He couldn't even argue with him. He was Tommy's pet. Before he met Tommy, his life had pretty much consisted of one bruise or another. TNT had marked him, everyday, and other people, the ones that weren't such obvious bullies, had taken more liberties, to punch him, and kick him and trip him in the halls. 

            Now, they pretty much left him alone. He would have never even got tripped in the cafeteria if Tommy didn't have football practise. TNT were TNT, nothing could change that, but they hadn't pounded on Merton for a very long time. They didn't even go out of their way to get him anymore. 

            It had been so good, Merton had just started to hope that people were getting used to having him around. Maybe he didn't have to be the complete freak show. Maybe he wouldn't have to spend hours searching for things to do, like the Gothic fantasy guild, like the internet Gothic rings, like the Gaming conventions, where he could talk to people that would actually talk to him.

            Really, he was a fuckin' pet. Good for anything, only as long as Tommy was around, and Merton didn't harbour any fantasies about Tommy's friendship. Tommy was a nice guy. He was nice to everyone. He was everyone's friend. He was the universal superhero, he couldn't be anything less. Merton was nothing special to him. Just a guy who helped him out when he was busy saving the world.

            Merton went home. Turned out the lights in the Lair. And cried. 


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

            Tommy was wondering where Merton was. He hadn't seen him since yesterday. But, Merton hadn't looked like he was having a very good day. An announcement over the PA system jolted him out of his thoughts.

            The nurse's office? The nurse's office? Why would he have to go to the nurse's office. Unless. . . Paranoid fantasies filled his head, beginning with blood tests, and ending with experimental testing and dissection. Step right up and see a werewolf and how it responds to electroshock therapy! But there was no way they could know. No way. Merton was the only one who knew he was a werewolf, and there was no way anyone else could guess. 

            There had been some very close calls. He wasn't exactly brilliant at hiding the inner wolf. He ran faster than he should, lifted things that were heavier. . . 

            God, football. He knew some of the feats he accomplished on the football fields were nothing short of inhuman. God, drug testing. What if they thought he was . . .

            Was werewolf urine the same as human? Tommy made a mental note to ask Merton. He was spending too much time with Merton – Tommy Dawkins, football captain was a pretty laid-back, come what may, person. It was Merton who got all worked up. Not that it wasn't cute. 

            He opened the door of the nurse's office. Took a deep breath, and stepped in. He looked up and saw – Merton? Something was wrong with Merton? Good god, something was wrong with Merton. Tommy felt the wolf inside him rising to the surface. Someone was going to die. "What happened?"

            "Mr. Dingle had a bit of an accident, Tommy." The nurse was older, stout and round with short brown hair. "He's not feeling very well, and we can't locate his guardians. We can't hold him, either, and he doesn't want to stay. Principal Smith hoped that perhaps you could ensure he reached home safely?" 

            "Of course." Tommy bit back all the questions he felt at the tip of his tongue. Thank god for Mr. Smith. Otherwise, Merton might just have walked out of here, all alone. "C'mon, Merton, old buddy." 

            Merton was looking up at him, with an emotion that was hard to identify. Tommy took a deep breath, and the wolf could smell the self-hate. Whatever Merton was feeling was terribly twisted by self-hate and not recognisable now.  Merton stood gingerly, but Tommy didn't say anything.

            They walked down the halls in silence. "Do you need your back-pack?" 

            "No." Merton answered, flatly. 

            Tommy frowned, and they continued. Tommy didn't ask Merton if he could drive the Hearse, just took the keys out of his hand when he went to open the door. And Merton didn't protest, just went around to the passenger's side. 

            Walking into the Lair, Merton turned back to Tommy and finally said his first sentence. "I'm okay, now, you can go."

            Tommy snorted. "I bloody well think not!" He yelled, and Merton flinched instinctively. Tommy couldn't help himself. There was the Merton he knew. And the Merton he wanted to spend all day reassuring. He just went up to Merton, and gave him a hug. Merton flinched again.

            Tommy released him and started unbuttoning his shirt, fighting Merton's half-hearted attempts to stop him. When he had exposed the series of black and blue marks that decorated Merton's ribs, he went into a cold fury. "Who?"

            "Doesn't matter." Merton said softly. 

            "The hell it doesn't." Tommy pushed the shirt of Merton's shoulders to expose Merton's back. 

            "It's okay." 

            "Is not." Tommy gently nudged Merton to the couch. "Sit down, I'll get you some Tylenol." Tommy went to the bathroom at the back of the lair, and searched through the medicine cabinet. "TNT? Cause I'm going to kill them. I told them to leave you alone." He knew it wasn't TNT, they'd listen to him, Tommy knew the whole reason that they even picked on Merton now was to protect their reputation. And knowing that, and seeing Merton's ability to walk through the school, not caring what anyone thought of him, well, Tommy hadn't made it a big deal. But looking at Merton now, he was starting to reconsider. 

            Now he was going to go screaming through the halls, beating up everyone who even looked at Merton funny. 

            That look was back on Merton's face. It was unidentifiable, but the self-hate was even more obvious. "It wasn't them." Merton leaned back on the couch. 

            "Then who?" Tommy tried to keep the rage out of his voice. He was going to find the person who did this, and then he was going to beat them black and blue. Maybe he'd try for orange. Tommy passed the pills to Merton, who swallowed shakily. 

            "Look. No one cares, Tommy, I mean it could be anyone, okay?" 

            Tommy was playing out little fantasies in his head. Blood, gore, what happens when someone gets thrown through the air like in the movies? 

            There was a choking sound, like Merton was trying not to cry. 

            And the blood thoughts were buried again. Tommy ripped Merton's black down comforter off of the bed and draped it over him, before working his way under the covers and wrapping his arms around Merton. "You know I care. Merton. I mean you're a really good guy, and damn it, football players aren't wired for this. You know you're my best friend, right?"


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

            Merton gave up trying to escape the arms of a football player slash werewolf, and settled against him. "Everybody's your best friend, Tommy." He felt the tears well up in his eyes. 

            "No, they're not! Really, Merton, do you think that?" Tommy sounded shocked. 

            "I mean, really, Tommy, would you even be my friend if it wasn't for the whole werewolf thing? I mean, you've never treated me like . . . But you know, you'd never . . ." Merton couldn't find any coherency in himself. 

            Which was kind of sad, he thought, as Tommy was rocking him gently. Why was it always like this? Tommy being the fucking big strong hero, and comforting poor Merton Dingle, saving him from himself. He never even realized he said it aloud, until Tommy replied. 

            "I'm not a hero, Merton."

            Yeah, you are, you're a hero, and I'm just a sidekick. Comic relief. You're fuckin' pet. 

            "Merton. . ." There was a silence. And Merton was stuck there, waiting for Tommy to say something. Something reassuring, but something so generally hero-like and Golden-boyish and predictable that it would just be a blow. Something about him being better than other people. Or something about him being better than he realized. Something about not being appreciated for the wonderful person he is. Something like what his mother told him, when she was trying to help him get over this or that. 

            And after a while, Merton couldn't even find it in himself to talk to her anymore. His dad was such a big presence anyway, that all their moments had been stolen. Instants where she could love her son without displeasing her husband. So the Lair had become his refuge. Somewhere his dad could stuff his son and pretend he had never been born. Somewhere Becky could pretend he didn't exist. And somewhere, far enough away, that his mother could justify her disregard. 

            Merton didn't even realise that Tommy had said nothing. Just held him. As Merton slipped out of the reality he couldn't face, into dreams that he couldn't hope to better. 

            He felt nothing but safety really, as Tommy easily lifted him up and laid him out on the couch. And it was so soothing, when Tommy tucked him in gently. And he was almost in the dark black void when he felt lips pressed to his forehead. For an instant. For an eternity. 

            The growl echoed in the room. _Mine._


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Tommy picked up Merton's discarded shirt and smelt it, calling on the wolf within. Which was a mistake. Because the wolf had been put off long enough and it wanted blood. Right now. 

            The scent was unfamiliar. Not anyone from Pleasantville he had met. So that left. . . The new kid. Zachary Stevens or something. And that would make sense. Someone who didn't know that Merton was not to be touched. Ever. 

            Tommy let himself out. "Back soon." He told the closed door. "Back real soon." He checked his watch. Four o'clock. Where would a teenage boy go at four o'clock. Like Tommy even needed to ask. The Factory. Pleasantville wasn't big enough to have another hang out, unless you counted the Hungry Bucket. 

            Sometimes, wolf-speed is very useful. This wasn't one of those times. It was far too light for the Pleasantville werewolf to come out and play, and because Tommy had the ability to travel at incredible speeds, he'd never felt the need to buy himself a car like a normal teenage guy. Damn it. 

            So he walked. And he steamed. And he pictured messy bloody things to do to that kid. Things he had never really even thought of before. Before the whole werewolf thing happened, he hadn't been a particularly violent guy. Yeah, he played football. But it hardly made him the big tough guy everyone thought he was. No, being a werewolf did that. . . Made him want to take Mr. Whatever-his-name-was and rip out his throat and drag the body out into the woods somewhere. 

            And on that note, he was there. 

            He opened the door to the factory, and let the wolf go. Yeah, that bastard was here. His scent was cloying, and Tommy followed it. Over to a table filled mostly with athletes and girls. People Tommy knew and liked. Tommy tapped him on the shoulder.

            "Yeah?" He/The Jerk/Asshole said.

            "Let's go outside." Tommy wished half-heartedly that he didn't sound so much like a caricature from a bad movie. One of Merton's bad movies. 

            The guy looked at him. "So, what, you gonna beat my ass for messing with your little boy-toy?" 

            "You admit it?" Tommy said dumbly. 

            "Yeah, little freaker got in my face. Whatcha going to do about it?" 

            Tommy lost it. He picked the sad _little_ human up and found the presence of mind to drag him out of the Factory. It was a little too fast and a little too strong to be merely human, but Tommy was beyond caring. Let a thousand thousand scientists play with his brains, hell, bring out the anal probes, just let him kill this guy first. 

            He was pined against a car and gasping for air, Tommy hands clenched around his throat. Digging in with nails that were just a little too long. "This. I'm going to do this about it." Tommy smashed his head into the window.

            "What the hell?!?" It was a gasp, spoken softly. 

            "Listen very carefully, okay? This is my territory. Mine. This is my turf. And everything and everyone in Pleasantville belongs to me." Tommy punctuated his sentence by pushing Zack-or-something against the car. 

            "And I don't like it when people mess with my stuff. I mean, a little here and there between friends, I'll forgive. But you crossed a line." 

            "Who cares?" He tried to push out of Tommy's grasp. 

            Tommy slammed him back into the car. "Obviously you weren't listening. I care. A lot. And I think it's time you changed your attitude. I'm going to be watching you, and I want to see you become a little princess. If you so much as litter, I'll beat you senseless.  If you pick on some little kid, make a freshman cry, I'll make sure you never walk again. And if you so much as look at Merton wrong, I'll make sure they never find your grave. Understood?" 

            He didn't look so great, his eye was blackened, and his nose was bleeding. _I did that, Tommy thought, wildly, when? In between that bit about my territory and the part about messing with Merton? "Yeah." It was kind of low, and gasping, dragged from his lips._

            "Pardon? I didn't quite hear you."  Tommy said softly.

            "Understood." 

            "Good." 


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

            Merton was drowsing lazily, not quite asleep and not quite awake when he heard the door of the Lair open. There was a brief cool breeze and it closed again. 

            Merton would have gotten up to see who it was, or maybe just gotten up period. It was only six o'clock. But faster than any human being could move, it was beside him. It was whispering softly. It was Tommy. . . 

            "Merton, are you awake?" 

            He made an incoherent noise. _I'm awake but I'm not really, and I don't want to get up and talk to you. _

            "It won't happen again." 

            _What won't? The world will stop treating me like someone who would have been better off not born. Wow, the wisdom of Silenus, if I were to follow that logic, the next best thing is to die, as quickly as possible. _

Tommy's hands were on Merton's forehead now, brushing his hair out of his face. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you anymore." 

            _Uh huh, sure.__ Yeah, right. And Merton was burning. __Just because you're superman doesn't mean you can change the world. And Merton could hear his own inner superhero, dying to be set free. _The world is changed, a person at a time. And it was naïve and gullible, and somehow, laying here under Tommy's hands, protected, cared for. . . It was also true. _Merton was shaking. _

            "I did something bad today. I lost control. I hurt somebody. And it wasn't a ghost or an alien or a vampire or even the Sandman. I've never fought anyone without superpowers, you know. And it felt. . . I don't know how it felt. It made me think. . . Just maybe if this was a better place. . . It's never going to stop is it? I can't pretend I'm a normal guy anymore. Can't live in the lie; take every day as it comes. . . There are always going to be monsters, human, demons or otherwise. And I'm so lost, I don't know which way is up anymore. . ."

            There was a pause, a pregnant pause. "Thank you so very much for being here. I don't know what I'd do without you." Soft footsteps made their way to the door. And it clicked, tenderly. 

              And Merton felt like an absolute ass for not getting up and reassuring Tommy everything would be all right.


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

            It became an unspoken rule. No one mention that night. Ever. On the threat of death! And Merton was rather relieved. It never happened. Nu uh. And denial is just a river in Egypt. 

            And if Merton stayed a little closer to Tommy, no one noticed. I mean, the freaker was Tommy's shadow, right? 

            It was eleven o'clock in the morning, and the bruises were starting to fade, and Tommy and Lori were throwing French fries at each other. Lori was definitely getting the worst of it, before they ran out of French fries, (Tommy had been eating more than he had been throwing, geez, Tommy was catching and eating the French fries Lori was throwing. Werewolf metabolism. Perhaps it was a direct result of the transformational effect imposed on Tommy's digestive system. . . Another possible hypothesis to present to Dr. Holtz . . . Of course, advertising his thesis', however brilliantly they were written, never seemed to be a good thing. I mean look at Dr. Flügelhoff. ). 

            "Okay, I win." Lori said. 

            "Excuse me?" Tommy said, raising an eyebrow.

            "You had an unfair advantage." Lori pointed out. "Taking handicaps into consideration. . . Speaking of which. Old Pleasantville has been rather quiet lately."

            "I'm sure that something will pop up soon." Tommy said, nonchalantly. "The evil undead, or evil Easter bunnies or something. Maybe the Easter bunny's evil long lost cousin."

            Lori snorted. "Yeah, it would sort of fit in with the theme of this place, huh? Did you see the new substitute, Ms Howard? She looks like a walking robot. Maybe she's the next evil. You know, time for the gallant Pleasantville werewolf to step up and save the world from personality deficient substitute teachers." 

            "Somehow, I don't think the world will benefit if Tommy spends his time beating up poor little school teachers, Lori." Merton said as the bell rung, "Education is a constitutional right that -"

            "Yeah, and I'd never get any sleep, neither." Tommy interrupted. "Let's get to class. Have fun in biology, Lore." He draped an arm over Merton, and steered him towards their English class. 

            Tommy had been very protective lately. He walked Merton to all his classes. Was there when Merton got out them. Even stayed late for the gothic fantasy guild meetings to end. And Merton tried to tell himself it meant nothing, just superhero Dawkins on the case, but his doubts refused to take root. 

            Lori wasn't quite sure what was up with Tommy and Merton, they seemed to be living in a little dream world. They were still acting pretty normal, but it was like there was this big thing that lay unresolved behind them.

            Lori had every intention of going to biology class. Since transferring out of private school, her attendance had improved a hundred percent. (Maybe it was the fact that there were boys in the class to go for. Since she broke up with Tommy, she had been finding Jeffrey Statler particularly hot.) But when she saw Ms Howard coming out of the school supply closet with a bizarre look on her face, and run hell-bent for the staff parking lot, she couldn't resist.   

            She followed her. 

            And man, could she move. It should be a rule, forty-year old teachers should be forbidden from moving like that. It defied the laws of gravity, or normality, or something. 

            Lori dashed around the corner of the school only to see there was no one there. The parking lot was completely empty, and there was no where she could have gone.  

            Lori walked in and around the cars for twenty minutes before she came to a decision. Tommy and Merton were too busy wrapped up in whatever it was they were wrapped up in. She couldn't tell them about this. They'd probably laugh at her. Or at least, be very suspicious. _Lori, you can't use Tommy to pound your teachers. It's bad manners_. Besides, didn't she deserve an adventure of her own for once? Lori was a little sick of being the one who was just a little stupider than Merton, and a little (well, a lot) weaker than Tommy. 

            Lori took a lot of pride in not being one of _those_ girls, and it seemed since she hooked up with Tommy and Merton, being a girly-girl was all she had to occupy her time. 


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

            Tommy caught Merton as he walked out of his Social Studies class at the end of the day.

"I've been reading the paper here and I think . . .  look." Merton held up an article that had been lovingly clipped from the Pleasantville Sun. 

"Local basement flooded?" Tommy asked disbelievingly, as he headed in the direction of Merton's locker. 

"I'm thinking it could be an attack of water pixies. Or more specifically **Nereids.**" Merton continued, ignoring Tommy's tone. "They are little mischievous creatures that inhabit water dwellings, well specifically, sea-like places, and prey on the life force of human beings." Merton continued, pulling his backpack out of his locker, and stuffing it with textbooks.

"Nereeds?" Did Merton have any idea how cute that was? Little coffin back-pack, all wannabe-rebel, stuffed to the brim with textbooks. Because, heaven forbid, he didn't get his homework done. It was positively adorable.

"No, Tommy, it's pronounced more like knee – re – idz." Merton continued on, paying no attention. "I just need a little more information to discover the process of imprisoning them."

Tommy could only shake his head. Merton believed that the basement of some poor Pleasantville family was flooded due to the presence of some monster. And this being Pleasantville, he was probably mostly right. "Wanna go to the factory?" 

"We should go to the Lair, Tommy, and do some research." Merton sounded anxious. Like he thought Tommy was going to blow him off. 

Oh no, Merton, let's not head back to your place so you can find yummy treats to keep me sated, while you read books. You'll even ignore it if I play video games while you read. "Sounds good." 

            On their way, Merton picked up a pizza, as predicted. Well, two pizzas. Tommy was a growing werewolf after all. And willing to fight tooth and nail over a single slice. 

            "Sorry for the mess." Merton apologized as he opened the door.

            Mess? What mess? Everything was pristine as usual, for Merton's humble basement of recluse (Okay, he was even starting to sound like Merton, think Tommy, think. Or don't think. Big dumb football player here. Grunt.) Merton ran to pick up a couple sets of clothes that Tommy hadn't noticed lying on the floor. His room was **the refuge** for dirty clothing.

            Merton picked up a set of dusty leather-bound books and lovingly spread them on the coffee table. _Oh god, Tommy thought, I've got to stop thinking of Merton like this. I've managed to make research sound slightly dirty._ And it was a little scary. Tommy had always subscribed to the do-whatever-makes-you-feel-good, live-in-the-moment philosophy. 

 Tommy really wasn't upset about the whole sudden sinking attraction to his best friend thing. What he was – was positive that Merton would either a) explode and rain little Merton-bits everywhere, or b) feel that he had finally figured out the reason for Tommy's interest in him. Aha – you don't really care about me. You just figure I'm your best chance to get laid. Merton felt better about people when they had an ulterior motive. (You couldn't blame him, a lot of his innocence had been lost in that embarrassing episode when Tommy had ditched him to yak it up with the crowd so he could be elected homecoming king, and Merton had hooked up with people he thought cared about him, but really just wanted to fatten him up and eat him. And not in the good way. _Stop it, Dawkins, stop it_.)

And nothing could be farther from Tommy's mind. He didn't want to use Merton, (in fact, a lot of times when he dreamed, it was all about Merton using him. . .). He couldn't even pinpoint the moment when he stopped liking Merton **in spite of his geekiness and his tendency to be obnoxiously annoying, and starting liking him **because of** his tendency to be obnoxiously annoying. And the point where he'd started to admire Merton's ability to simply not-give-a-damn-what-other-people-think. And he wasn't even sure when he'd begun that slow slide from best friend to possible crush. **

            Damn. He had to stop this. He never used to think like this. Life used to be a football field that he played through. Sometimes he got tackled into the grass, and sometimes he got touch downs, but it was never something he had to think about. . . Just a game. Tommy smacked himself in an effort to empty his head. And looked up to find Merton staring at him. "What?"

            "I said, Tommy would you like the pepperoni or the Hawaiian pizza?"

            "Ah, hell, just give me four slices of both."


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Merton wasn't quite sure what was up with Tommy tonight. He had thought that rather embarrassing escapade where he got beat up, and Tommy had rushed out to defend his honour ~ well, he had hoped the whole thing was forgotten. But Tommy kept looking at him like. . . 

He had looked at him that day that he had found out someone had the nerve to use Merton Dingle, Tommy Dawkin's own personal shadow, as a punching bag. Merton had heard the gossip that had circulated around the school, and tried, really hard to forget it. 

Tommy had beaten someone up. For him. Because he was a nice guy. And it was the last part that kept screwing everything up. Because it was easy to dismiss Tommy pleas of a best-friendship, and not so easy to dismiss Tommy's actions.

Tommy didn't beat up bullies. He talked to bullies, convinced them to see the errors of their ways. He kicked ass on the non-human ones, but even then he really didn't pound them into a bloody pulp, he more defeated them. It always felt like the triumph of good over evil, not a dirty grudge match. 

            Tommy was the kind of guy who let cockroaches live and let live. 

 So . . . Why did Tommy take that guy out into the parking lot and use him as his own personal punching-bag. If he wasn't just being a nice guy? Was it really that hard for him to admit that maybe, someone did give a damn about him.

Okay, yeah, it was. 

"Merton? Earth to Merton? Glad to see I'm not the only one with my head in the clouds tonight." 

Lori was tired. And dirty. And wet. And she had never had so much fun. She had taken the opportunity to flirt with Fred Haicks – the school computer maniac. And he had found what she wanted to know. Which was where Ms Howard lived.

And it was really funny. Officially, she lived at 1313 13th street. Only there was a problem with that. According to the records that Fred had dug up, there was no 1313 13th street. The city council had been superstitious during Pleasantville's construction and omitted that address. So, she lived nowhere. You'd think the school board would be a little more thorough in their back ground checks. . . And that left Lori . . . 

Visiting the factory to flirt with Dean Haze whose father was the chief of police. And he had been more than happy to show her his father's computer system. And slipped a disk Fred had made into the hard drive. Now she and Fred could track Ms Howard's car. And Fred was actually a nice guy. He had nice eyes, blue, and his puppy-dog features reminded Lori of Merton, but it was somehow . . . cuter. There was something about the way he could pull off the wounded act without getting all bizarrely perky-gothic and well, flamboyant. 

So anyway, after visiting with Dean, and doing a little espionage (she was sooo much cooler than any of the spy-chicks on TV. Except maybe Lucy Lui on Charlie's angels.) she got caught in a rain storm heading back to the school. And was drenched to the bone. But Lori hadn't really minded, she had always loved rain storms, full of that crackling energy and cooling strength. And then it started to get even better. . . She caught Ms Howard on her way out of Pleasantville's only supermarket. . . 

"Yeah . . . I guess, I'm a little tired. And this book is evil." Merton admitted.

"Evil? Another evil book. You sent away for it, didn't you?" Tommy looked at the book. And drew out a long-suffering sigh. "Couldn't you just leave Alistair's books to Alistair? Do we have to burn this one or take it out into the woods and bury it for consecration?"

Merton jerked his head up. Tommy looked completely serious. Except, maybe there was a little twitch in his eye. "You're pulling my leg."

"Well, I might be biting it, a little." Tommy admitted. "You just looked so. . ." worn out, Tommy thought. "Serious. Why don't we give it a break. This death-pixies can wait a little bit longer. Nobody's actually in trouble yet. No one ever died because their sofa was wet. Why don't I find your hot plate and make some hot cocoa." 

And Merton couldn't decide what was more ridiculous. The big strong Captain of the football team, (and secretly the big strong werewolf of Pleasantville), making hot cocoa like, well, somebody's mother. Or said popular all around good guy, making it for **him.****  "Why?" He asked, uselessly.**

It was Tommy's turn to jerk towards him "What do you mean? Hot cocoa? You look like you could use some. Goodness knows I'm no good at the research stuff."

"Not what I meant." Merton continued, suppressing the instincts that screamed, stop, stop!  Now that it was in the air, Merton couldn't just let it float away again. "I mean, why do you put up with me. I mean, besides for the research stuff. What else am I good at. Not much, I know. I guess I have a car. But – " The words came pouring from his mouth like a wave he couldn't stop/couldn't ride. 

Until Tommy's finger pressed against his lips. "Listen, Merton, I'm a football player. A dumb jock." Merton moved his lips to protest but Tommy pushed with a soft gentle force. "And I can really only say it this once. This isn't about the way other people treat you. I see them and I can't imagine how they can look at you and not see . . . You look for something in everything, examine everything, searching for some reason not to trust anyone. And I'll admit I've done some pretty stupid things. I'm not Superman, Merton, I make mistakes. And some of my biggest concern you. But I'm never ever going to dislike you, Merton. Nothing, you do or say or any part of who you are can change that. I am always going to love you." 

Merton felt, rather than saw the finger being removed from his lips. His eyes were clenched so tightly it felt like it would take a crowbar to wrench them apart. Those lips that had brushed his forehead once, in a dream, touched his cheek. And Tommy's arms were surrounding him. 


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Merton couldn't help shaking, just a little bit. He couldn't even force himself to step away from Tommy. "You love me, like, uh, you love chicken from the hungry bucket?" Yeah, right, Merton, Tommy's a good werewolf. He doesn't want to chew on your flesh. That's not what I was thinking! Yes, Merton, yes, it was. 

Tommy looked embarrassed, a faint flush covering his cheeks. Merton couldn't remember ever seeing Tommy embarrassed. It was . . . endearing, somehow, masculine and rare. It made Merton regret that when he was embarrassed, he went all red and squirmed like a little girl. That wasn't endearing. 

 "I just love you." Tommy said, sounding as shaky as Merton looked.

"Like you loved Sparky?" Merton asked. That would be something he could understand. Sparky might have peed on the carpet and set things afire, but Tommy had loved him. Because Sparky had been . . . Well, adorably cute. Merton didn't have that going for him, but it was more than that, Sparky had been – "Like a pet?"

"Not at all." Tommy crossed out that line of thought softly. 

Merton was rapidly losing control. There had to be a box somewhere that he could throw Tommy's love into. "Like a brother?" An annoying obnoxious little brother, who tagged along too much, ruined everything, but you had no choice but to love him. After everything they'd been through, Merton guessed Tommy could feel that he was family. 

Tommy blanched. "Not like a brother. Like a – Like a best friend." And he immediately smelled Merton's disappointment.

Oh. Well. Not quite enough to be a brother. Not good enough. Not loved enough. Tommy didn't love him enough. "OK, I understand." Was that a tear on his cheek? Better not be, he was just about ready to die from humiliation. He knew he was letting out huge quivering breaths. Why? Because Tommy loved him like a best friend? 

"You don't understand anything." Tommy tilted Merton's head to meet his deep green eyes. And Tommy kissed along the salty trail his tears had left. 

Oh. **Oh! Uh. . . Ohmygod. Tommy lips were moving against his lips. And was this what kissing was supposed to be like? No wonder he had no girlfriends. He must kiss like a dead fish. Ack! Merton, this is Tommy, TOMMY. And oh! The kiss ended and Merton jerked away. "Like that? You love me like THAT?" Ohgod, Ohgod, Ohgod. **

"No – Yes." Tommy wouldn't meet his eyes. "I love you. Like family. But not like a brother." 

Family, but not a brother. Translation: "You want to jump my bones." Merton couldn't quite believe the words he was saying. No one would want to jump his bones. The world was going to end ~ it's one of the signs of the apocalypse. No wait, its Merton's best friend. A guy. A GUY. Maybe the world isn't going to end after all. The world always survives when the defining force in the universe reaches out to kick Merton in the derriere. 

Tommy was no longer a little flushed, he was pink. "Maybe, you're not going to explode into little Merton-bits are you?"

Merton blinked. Twice. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay. Everyday I get ambushed by my best friend who likes me THAT way and kisses like liquid fire and he's a guy, and yep, just another boring old day. Dear Diary; Nothing unusual today – Tommy just kissed me. Maybe after supper I'll drive the Hearse to the moon." 

"Liquid fire?" Tommy arched an eyebrow.

Merton was reduced to helplessly moving his lips. And look, baby noises, gah, gah. . . 

Tommy took a step forward.

Merton immediately jumped back. "No! I mean, I'm sorry, but . . . I can't."  


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

"I mean – I think you should go home."

There was a brief expression of pain on Tommy's face before he controlled himself, and it slipped back into that all-American football player mask. 

_I hurt him_ – Merton thought – _I hurt him, I hurt him, I hurt him. _

"Okay. That's probably a good idea. I mean, this doesn't change anything." Tommy picked up his jacket from the couch. "Maybe the best thing would be to forget this ever happened." _Was that a hitch in his voice?_

"Yeah." _Yeah – what – sounds good? Yeah – that's okay? Yeah – please Tommy convince me that this isn't such a bad idea? Yeah, right.  _

Tommy was out the door before Merton could speak another word. There was a brief breeze of cool night air – when did it get so hot in here. And then the door closed, the way Tommy always closed it, softly, taking care not to inadvertently rip the door knob off with his wolf strength.

"Let's just forget this ever happened." He tested the words out aloud in the air. 

They rung in the air, over and over again. _Ever happened, ever happened, ever happened_. . . Merton wondered absently what Lori was doing.  

            Lori followed Ms Howard from the supermarket, across the town park, and into the woods. It was about then that she started to wish she had Tommy with her. Tommy knew the woods like the back of his hand, he should, he spent the nights of the full moon running here. Lori suspected he also spent nights here when he was too worked up to unwolf. 

            But Lori was a big strong girl and she could take care of herself. 

            Ms Howard was headed right to Clearwater Pond, which had been forgotten and neglected since a child had drowned there almost twelve years ago. Lori knew the story, all the kids did, and usually visited the pond a couple times before realizing it was a pretty average pond, and the morbid curiosity was satisfied. 

            Ms Howard waded in knee deep. 

            _Blue lights flickered. _

**He didn't want this. Merton had spent the better part of an hour pacing his room after Tommy left****. Counter clockwise. He was in a counter clockwise sort of mood.** He didn't want this, he didn't want this, he didn't want this, didn't want this. ****

            Certainly, nothing had been leading up to this. 

            They were close; shared near death experiences did that to people. 

            Tommy had always been friends. He touched people, affectionately and consistently, and platonically. He was. . . Tommy. And Merton had never even wondered at his motives. 

            But now Merton couldn't get it out of his mind. Tommy had hugged him, held him. Fought for him. ? Kissed him? 

Tommy gave himself to people, that was who he was. He touched people because he instinctively established a friendly relationship with everyone. Merton had watched him half-hug TNT, once. It was something he had never quite forgotten, here were two guys, more intimidating than an entire hockey team, and they smelled bad . . . And the captain of the football team thought nothing of touching them.  

            Once Tommy had sold some precious object or another, a sports card, to free him from stone. Merton had been so grateful. In disbelief that someone would do something like that for him. Should he have guessed way back when? 

            Did it make him gay if he wanted to do it again? Just for experimentation's sake. 

            All his life he had heard the whispers, and he certainly couldn't miss it when people actually came out and rubbed his face in it. Merton didn't play sports; he was too interested in his own appearance, too girly. He painted his nails! A freak, a loser, a fag. With a name like Dingle. . .  

            And nobody had ever said anything like that about Tommy Dawkins, Merton betted. Tommy was too perfect to be gay. No. That wasn't fair. Tommy dated hot head cheerleaders and sexy catholic school dropouts. Merton had rarely been seen in public with a girl, and when he found one, they tended to be monsters with an agenda. 

            Like liquid fire. . . 

            Was that a werewolf thing or a Tommy thing? Did it matter? Tommy and the werewolf were the one and the same. He just got kissed by a werewolf!

            So there he was again. Full circle. Back to the how/why issue that lay at the very core of this . . . thing. 

            Merton knew some of it was his own fault. He was clingy, desperate for a friend, and he saw how that could have been construed. He had followed Tommy, everywhere, desperately clinging to the possibility that maybe he wasn't the only freak out there. He had hoped that simply being weird gave them some common ground. That maybe, he could have a friend. 

And Tommy, is well, Tommy, who sees the inner good in everything and everyone. Merton could easily see how a little thing like gender would play no role in Tommy's feelings. 

            But Merton wasn't Tommy. He wasn't full of inner goodness, that time he had become a werewolf proved that. . . He had been unable to resist the wolf's inner darker needs. And he wasn't brave. Show him a fight between good and evil for the survival of mankind and Merton would hide behind the nearest girl every time. And he wasn't strong. Becky could beat him up. 

            Tommy deserved someone who could fight alongside him, not a sidekick who went running for the nearest woman's skirts. 

            Merton decided to crawl into his shower and die. 


	12. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven 

             Well, Tommy had finally done it. Finally, given up all their friendship and platonic love. Finally, washed away all those memories of the adventures they had shared, and the common bond between them. Tommy sounded like a melodramatic novel. He sounded like Merton. 

            No matter what he had said, all that stuff about just forgetting, Tommy had put on his football cleats and kicked their friendship right between the legs. There would be no forgetting, only awkward silences where they both would remember and not say anything. 

            And kissing Merton had been . . . freeing and satisfying, he tasted . . . untouched, somehow pure behind all his big Goth and Witchcraft talk. Standing in a bedroom covered in luscious red and black silk, with chains on the walls, the scent of leather on the air, surprisingly, Merton tasted like vanilla.  

            Love was where you found it, and there was no doubt in Tommy's mind that there was a big X right over Merton's lips. But Merton wasn't looking. 

            And that made it . . . sad, depraved, and wrong.

            All his fantasies were tainted.

            Lori was running like hell. Ms Howard had stepped into the pond. And it had flashed, blue flashes, like lightning, and then she had stood there, knee deep in the water, as the blue light/energy/freaky stuff had crawled up her legs, and wrapped itself around her torso, and surged down her finger tips, and crackled in her hair. And then she had opened her eyes. Eyes so dark and deep blue that they stood out in the night, like coals on a fire. 

            And Ms. Howard had turned, and looked right at her.  

            Would it be horrible if he went over to Tommy's right now? Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble? Merton could just see it now. Tommy, I know its two o'clock in the morning, but it's been eight hours since you kissed me. And six showers really haven't fixed anything, and it was only six because my mom came down and gave me hell because she couldn't run the washing machine. Not everybody's entire wardrobe can be washed in a cold, dark, load apparently. And I know I can't do the whole kissy-kissy thing, because you know, the thought of guy/guy quite frankly scares me, and I'm not what you deserve anyway, I'm not nearly good enough for you. 

            But could you hold me, please? Like you did after I got beat up? 

            Maybe tell me you love me again, so that this time I don't have to get all worked up about what it means and how you mean it, and I can just be comfortable in the fact that somebody loves me. Me. Merton Dingle. 

            Merton's fingers twisted helplessly against the smooth silk of his sheets. His pillow was getting a little soggy. And he was wearing his flannel bunny pyjamas. Becky had bought them for him for a joke one Christmas, and the joke ended up being on her, because they were the softest things that he had ever owned. 

            At this point he couldn't care that they were purple. And that they had little pink bunnies hopping all over them. 

            Tommy loved him, loved him, loved him. And he said he would always love him. Except this wasn't the Breakfast club, and Tommy wasn't Michael Fox, and Merton wasn't some gothic girl that really only needed some genuine affection. A make-over wouldn't cure him.   

            There were startling parallels between Michael Fox and Tommy though. Look at the whole Teen Wolf movie. . . 

            There was a knock at the door. Tentative, and light, but Merton wasn't anywhere near the land of sleep. "Come in, Tommy."

            "How's you know it was me?" Tommy's voice was deep in the darkness.

            "Who else would it be?"

            "Look, Merton, I just needed to apologize. I never should have done anything I did tonight. It was selfish and it was wrong. I would understand if you never wanted to talk to me again." 


	13. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve 

Merton looked at Tommy in disbelief. Approximately one thousand and eighty-seven thoughts were running through his head. But there was one that surprised him, and stood out among all the rest. "It's wrong to love me?" 

            "No! I mean . . . the other stuff." Tommy teetered near the edge of wolfing out, determined to contain it. He wasn't quite successful; his eyes shone yellow, his gaze wandering over the bed. 

            Merton pulled the sheets over himself. 

            "Sorry, Merton, I wasn't. . . Those are some unusual jammies." Tommy wanted to smack himself. 

            Merton turned red, but he was hoping the darkness covered that. "They're soft." 

            "I'm really, really sorry, Merton, I shouldn't have pushed myself on you like that." Tommy sat down at the edge of the bed and abruptly jumped back up. "I'm hoping you'll forgive me." 

            "It's okay. It's just. . ." Merton couldn't stop the half-hearted sob that escaped him. 

            Tommy was completely unable to help himself. Tommy knew that coming over here had been a bad idea. And he was about to make things worse. But he couldn't stand to see Merton hurting. And it was even worse when he was the cause. But Merton had him completely lost. His arms knew who they wanted to hold, comfort, have, and they found him all on their own. 

            Merton's pillow was wet, and Tommy could smell salt, and he didn't want to think about that. Merton wasn't struggling, wasn't letting go, was clinging to him like a frightened child. "We can work past this, buddy, I know we can. I'll keep away, and we'll figure out a game plan, and set some rules, and I'll never ever do that to you again."

            "I don't think so. . . I can't be what you need, Tommy, I'm not brave enough. I'm so scared, and you're the best kisser I ever. . . And I need you, so bad. You are my best friend. My only friend. And I don't think I can do this." 

            Tommy didn't have anything to say to that. All he could do was hold Merton tighter. Merton didn't smell like himself. There was none of his scent there. Tommy snuffled quietly. 

            "I . . . hadsixshowers." Merton blurted out. "YoufeltsowarmandIwantedtobewarmand. . ."    

            Tommy searched for the emotions behind the scents. It was normally quite difficult. . . People had so many smells covering over the important ones. Deodorant, perfume, lip-gloss. Even when they didn't realize what they were doing, people hid themselves. 

            He knew Merton's scent better than anyone in the world. Fear was a big one, so sharp it overpowered the others. Normally the smell of fear drove Tommy wild, but Tommy was in a different place now. Self-hate was there too. But it was the faintest smell that caught Tommy's attention. Fragile, and almost lost in the simple scent of air, was a taste of love. Tommy smelt it everyday on his parents, on teachers and students at school, on Alex Tracek when he looked at Julia Bone, who didn't even realize that somewhere at the back of the classroom, she had someone who would die for her.

He couldn't remember if he had ever smelled it on Merton. 

            He knew the smell of Merton's excitement, and pleasure, and giddy happiness. He could pick Merton's scent out of a crowd of preteen girls at a Justin Timberlake concert, even if Merton had just happened to be given the latest issue of Goth Monthly. 

            He was lost again. His lips found Merton's softly, and they were kissing again, and Merton was kissing back, and it was the vanilla taste that he craved, and he couldn't get enough of it. He licked open Merton's mouth, tasted every inch of it. He was going to hell, but it was a hell of a ride. His fingers ran over Merton's back, and those jammies were **soft**.  

            Merton made an inarticulate noise, unable to stop himself. It wasn't quite a lustful moan, but it was close. Tommy pulled back, and Merton realised he was more stimulated than he had any right to be. He was pressing against Tommy, like . . . Merton couldn't think of a simile that wasn't obscene. Merton almost broke down, right there, and wept like a little girl, except, it was Tommy who was looking at him. Tommy whose eyes were dark with a desire that Merton couldn't quite imagine. 

            It was wordless, and fevered, and Merton could only hold out his arms again, searching for a world that made sense. 

            "It's okay, Mer, it's okay. Love you." 


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Okay, this chapter's for Xixie. Thank you. 

Chapter Thirteen

            Sunlight streamed into the room through a tiny window, disturbing at least one occupant of the cast iron bed. Tommy lay there, completely unwilling to move. The belt buckle of his jeans was digging into his flesh. Sweaters were not comfortable things to sleep in. And he really had to use the bathroom. And Merton was sleeping, spooned up against him, dreaming dreams, and smiling. And moving meant a) waking him up or b) abandoning him in the bed. Neither was good.

            Merton solved the issue, by waking up abruptly, with a twitch. "Tommy?"

            "You thought I was going somewhere." Tommy told himself that he didn't sound hurt. 

            "No – yes – I dunno – why?" Merton stammered. "What does this _mean?" He asked plaintively. _

            Tommy almost laughed. That was the Merton he knew, searching for the absolute meaning in everything, analysing everything. "That I love you?" Tommy quirked an eyebrow. 

            "No, I mean, I know, but what's going to happen?" Merton knew that somehow, this was weird, and he surprisingly couldn't bring himself to care. Tommy loved him. Really, truly, loved him. And promised to always love him. And Merton was starting to see just how much Tommy meant to him. 

            Tommy smiled. "We're going to skip school today, seeing how we're probably very late anyway. And we're going to keep going, I'm going to eat lunch with you at school, and walk you to your classes, and take you to the factory after school, and go with you to the new vampire movie that's coming out in two weeks." 

            "**We're skipping school? I've never skipped school. Education is too valuable a thing to waste, except for that time the doctor said I was fine, but what do doctors know? I was obviously suffering from some kind of viral infection."**

            This time Tommy did laugh. He got up, kissed Merton on the forehead. "Mind if I use the bathroom?" 

            "Like you've ever had to ask." Merton sat up. "So really what you're telling me is that aside from the kissing thing, nothing's changed?" Merton asked at Tommy's retreating form. 

            Merton stood up, looked at himself in the mirror and blushed. His hair was rumpled and kind of half-spiked on one side, and his pyjamas were even more blatant in the sunlight. 

            "I think that's a good look for you." Tommy appeared in the mirror. "Did I ever tell you how absolutely cute you are?" 

            "Puppies, are cute, kittens are cute. I am NOT cute." Merton attempted to sound serious but it was a little difficult with Tommy's hands on his hips, pulling him into a hug. Even harder when he **knew **he was wearing **those** pyjamas. 

            "We look good together." Tommy studied the mirror, taking in the black head that graced his shoulder, and the curve of Merton's neck as he leaned up to look at him. 

            Merton turned pinker, if that was possible. 

            "Do you blush all over?" 

            "Tommy!" Merton gasped. 

            Tommy looked down in Merton's eyes, which were wide, with the slightest bit of fear only too evident. 

            "We'll go slow, okay? We'll go as far as you want to and stop when you want to, and it'll be okay. I may not be Superman, but I can promise you that. Okay?" 

            Nodding, Merton offered a half-smile. 

            "So what do you want to do?" 

            "Let's watch a movie. I ordered a DVD version of The Crow, and it claims that it's been digitally remastered, but I'm not quite sure what that means. . ."  


	15. Epilogue

Epilogue

            "So, you wanna hit the factory?" Tommy asked, threading his hands through Merton's hair. "School's out. Lori will want an explanation." 

            Merton had wide eyes again. "What are we going to tell her?" 

            "I hit on you last night, knocked you for a loop, but we decided that we could do this after we slept together."

            "Tommy!" 

            "That you're an incredible kisser?" 

            "Tommy! . . . Well, actually that's okay, if you say that it's your beautiful cousin Belinda's opinion." 

            Tommy cracked up. He gasped. He wheezed. And he finally managed to speak. "How about we let people think what they want to think. I doubt that being your boyfriend is going to make much difference how I treat you in public. We were practically dating before we ever kissed . . . And what we do in private is our own business." 

            "Boyfriend?" Merton asked, feeling a little bit of that old quivering feeling. He was surprised to learn that he was starting to like it when his bones felt like jelly, and he wasn't sure which way was up. 

Tommy ran a finger over Merton's cheekbones. "Boyfriend." He laughed. "You got to face it, two best friends, a werewolf and a Goth. It's just cliché."  

Merton could only nod at the floor. He was turning pink again, he knew it, and in an act of supreme bravery, he looked up at Tommy. "So you're not ready to ride around in the Ice Cream Truck and announce it over the speakers?" 

            "I don't think people are ready to know yet, that's all. I don't think we're ready for everyone to know. But it's your call." Tommy looked at Merton, forcing him deep into that pool of green. "Telling the world I finally managed to grab Merton Dingle is no real hardship for me."

            And the funny thing was, Merton knew Tommy meant it.  "Okay, let's go to the factory." 

            The factory was, as usual, incredibly crowded. Tommy grabbed a table, sat down, and ordered two sodas. Root beer, which was Merton's favourite. 

            "I just realized," Merton whispered, so low that Tommy had to use his wolf-hearing. "That you've been ordering for me for two months." 

            Tommy looked at Merton who was bereft of wolf-hearing, reached under the table, and squeezed his knee. 

            "Hey guys!" Lori twirled her hair. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her gaze was tired, but Tommy had never seen her look happier. "Sorry, I missed you in school today, but I had a crazy night." 

            "We didn't go either." Merton blurted out. "We were up late researching."

            Tommy could sense that Lori's interest was piqued and sighed inwardly. He was suddenly reminded of the time Merton had learnt voodoo, and was not supposed to tell anyone, but was completely unable to keep his mouth shut. Of course, that had resulted in serious bad guy butt-kicking. But Tommy had a feeling that that wouldn't be the case this time.  

            "What were you researching."

            "Nereids. They're water spirits . . ."

            "That drain the local water resources of mystical energy that they use to cause mischief. They feed off of discordant emotions." 

            Tommy and Merton just looked at her. 

            She shrugged. "What? I read, too."

            "Yeah, well, Merton suspects there might be one of these creatures running around Pleasantville. We were up all night trying to find a way to imprison them, exorcise them, whatever." Tommy did his best to sound both bored and tired. 

            "Oh, that's an easy one." Lori smiled. "You have to fight them with a weapon of the opposing element. A good iron sword would take care of that no problem." 

            Merton's face light up. "That would make sense! Iron being forged and tempered in fire! Lori, don't you have a sword that belonged to your great-grandfather when he was in the military? Could we borrow it?" 

            "Sure. It's in my locker at school. Homework project." Lori smiled, and there was something different about it and Tommy had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Go kill the big bad. Now, if you'll excuse me, I owe Fred Haicks and Dean Haze a couple of dances."

            "She's acting weird." Tommy commented as Lori made her way through the mass of people. 

            "It's Pleasantville," Merton waved it away. "Do you realize what this means? We have to set up a game plan, search for possible suspects -"

            "Hey, Tommy!" Alex Tracek waved at him from about five feet away. "Missed you at school today. Do you realize we get the day off tomorrow?"

            "Really? Did they finally declare national pancake day a holiday?" Merton asked. 

            Alex looked at him. "No, the basement of the school flooded. They had to hold all the classes in the gym today."  


	16. Author's Notes and Responses to Reviewer...

            A big thanks goes out to all those who made it this far. Thank you for taking the time.

Okay, there's definitely going to be more, my muse hasn't deserted me yet. But I am looking for reviews. This piece is my first slash fic (that I've published anyway) and it's supposed to be a play on the common clichés found within slash fanfiction. 

            So feel free to constructively criticize – I'm always looking for a way to improve something. I promise that I'm desperate and eager-to-please enough to respond to most reviews, and I take anonymous ones, too! 

            Please don't flame me. As I've mentioned before, this is just a little bit more intense than your standard episode of "Will & Grace" and I gave you plenty of opportunity to avoid reading this.         

            Rashelle Waterburn Seabrooks 

            An extra extra big thanks goes out to my three reviewers. Thank you very much. 

            So, Thank you to Messenger, whoever you may be, who said, 

_howdy_ howdy, looving this story. a lot. UPDATE. The Muse High Council DEMANDS it.__

I'm gonna try to keep on top of this one. Tommy and Merton absolutely refuse to shut up. And my muse, who sometimes abandons me at inopportune moments, seems to be taking the Muse High Council to heart. 

            With another thank-you to Lee. Who said - 

            _I love this.. it's a great story. Although, I do hate seeing Merton sad and hurt... =( But it's all for the story and it wouldn't be the same without it so it's all cool. Again, the story's great. Can't wait to read the next chapter._

            I hate seeing Merton hurting too. But I think that the BWOC series often overlooks the biases and rejection that is found in the average high school. Even in Pleasantville high. Plus, it gives an excellent opportunity for comfort, which is the part I love to write. . .  Even though sometimes it takes me several chapters. 

            And another thank you to Layce74 , who said – 

            _Cool. I love it when Tommy gets all protective of Merton. Please keep going._

          And  I very much like a protective Tommy, too. And I plan on keeping going. In fact, this piece has a crossover sequel that is currently living in my head, begging me to write it. Of course, I absolutely refuse to until I get this story finished. . . But it's a nice thought. 

            And it looks like I have more reviewers. (I am refraining myself from doing a happy little dance, really. Okay, maybe not. But you can't see me, so it's less embarrassing) So, anyways, more thank yous. . .  

            Thanks to my best friend, and blood sister, Jacey/Arctros, who said – 

_It was good. Had no idea who the characters were. ( I unlike Page don't watch YTV shows anymore *snicker*) but it was intriguing. very cliche as the title suggested, but okay nonetheless. To many paragraph breaks, I think._

Thank you for taking the time to read a fanfic, even though you've never seen the show. You really do love me. Yes, I am well known for my obsessive need to separate all ideas into neat little packages, even though some of them shouldn't have been broken up. I'd try to fix it, but knowing me, I'd end up with twelve or so more paragraphs. I'm sorry. 

And another big hearted thanks to Quabek,  who said – 

_Well, that was interesting. I assume there's more? This is really good for a first fic. You write very well, much better than about half the Big Wolf authors out there (not going to name names). I enjoy this fic. Except. I understand what you're trying to do as far as the playing off the cliche thing goes, but I'm afraid it doesn't really work that well. ^^;; Sorry to say so! The thing is, the story takes itself a bit to seriously to come off as ironic or mocking. Until I read the notes, I didn't know it was SUPPOSED to be incredibly cliche, I thought that was just how it was. I'm not trying to demean your work, and this is not a flame. Please don't be angry at me, I just had to be honest._

Yes, there's going to be more. Thank you very much. And I have to admit, you're absolutely right. The cliché thing was a ball I started rolling, and then I was having far too much fun with Tommy/Merton-Sweet-Love to lessen it with irony. And I'm more than a little disappointed that this turns out to be more of story featuring a thousand love clichés than a story playing on them. But I admit, I have a great deal of difficulty writing humour/irony/sardonic tones. I also have a problem writing strong female characters. These are reasons I like writing slash as well as reasons I share an account with my co-author Care (She is a very sarcastic/mocking person by nature, and her female characters are amazing). She just refuses to touch slash with a ten foot pole, and I am greatly lost without her. I appreciate your honesty greatly, and I assure you I know good intentions from bad. I was just trying to head off the homophobic responses slash seems to invoke in some people.   

And a delighted thank you to Gigglesnort who said - 

_*waves* I just read your ficcie. I LOVE IT! Now just a *simple'n'sweet* response, ya? GIVE ME MORE! NOW! *grins and glomps Merton*_

I am not grinning ear to ear. Okay I am. Oh well. Here's another chapter. And I think it's very sweet.

And last, but certainly not least, a thank you to my own blood-kin, Nicki-Darling, who said,

_I loved it Pagey! PLEASE KEEP WRITING._

Here you go, sweetheart, still writing. Should I feel bad for corrupting you? Now, where's the teen angel fanfic you promised me? I keep looking for it. . . Do I have to get out the pinking shears? 

And it looks like it's updating time again. I would again like to thank those who took the time to review. And Messenger is back, which is comforting, 

_You have updated! The Muse High Council is pleased and awards you a pistachio nut. YAY!_

Yes, I updated. A pistachio nut. Okay, I can use that. . . Ninety nine percent of my work is based on being completely nuts. I'd like to think the other one percent is based on pistachio ice cream. 

And a new reviewer. Yay! Sammy-Mackie said,

_ i am looking 4ward 2 the next chapter its good so far_

Thank you, very much, here's the next chapter. And the one after is already started. Pretty good, if I do say so myself. 

Yay! Finally got it together enough to update. And I have new reviewers. Thank you. Sammy-Mackie is back which makes is comforting. Gotta love it when people aren't scared to come back for more. Thank you.

_i__ can't wait 4 it the last chapter was real good_

Sorry the wait was so long. Somehow, even after I had written it, I just couldn't get it the way I wanted it. This chapter is mostly fluff, and not at all what I envisioned when I wrote that dark first chapter. I hope that it works anyway. 

And another new reviewer. Yay! Thanks Xixie. 

_You know, I haven't read anything in this fandom for a while. I thought that the muse had fled and everything that was going to be written well, had been. But I was wrong. And damn you. Because I will now be checking obsessively to see if you have updated. Like I have the time. This is wonderful. Please hurry with the next bit._

You know, I think I'm just a slow starter. I have written fanfiction for a long time, but not knowing anything about the internet, it never occurred to me that people would actually read it. And tell me how to improve it. Kind of like a dream come true. Gotta love technology. So reading Big Wolf slash for the first time, (a little late in the game considering the show's was cancelled a while ago) I decided to try my hand at it. Why not? So here's the next bit for you. 

Okay, Sorry about the enormous delay in the update. Sometimes life just gets the better of you, you know? And my muse has been strangely uncooperative. She hasn't abandoned me yet, but she has taken to long leisurely bubble baths, and when that fails to deter me, verbal abuse.

            So, more reviewers and return reviewers. Yay! 

            Sammie–Mackie is back! I don't think I can give you thanks enough. I could subsist on a diet of repeat reviews alone. 

            new _chapter :-)! i can't wait 2 find out wot happens next _

Sorry that it was such a long wait!

            And a new reviewer, LB, (THANK YOU VERY MUCH) who said, 

            _no__. what does he mean he cant?! whatever, he so can! *grumbles* . *sigh* oh well. i like it. keep it up. got to go. BYE-BYE!!_

I think he can too. 

            And another new reviewer, (And yes, I am dancing with glee. But my dignity's intact, you can't see me), Lee, who said,

            _Great, great chapter! And what a sweet kiss. aww. now we just need Merton to kiss back. Soon, yes? _

Well, unfortunately, Merton doesn't kiss back in this chapter yet. But we start to see that maybe he could. . . 

            And Xixie's back. Yay! And she comes back twice, first to say, 

            _Wow. I just love it when Merton's all insecure and then Tommy's all "hey, you're hot" and Merton's all "no, really" and Tommy's like "yeah" then they make out and whatnot. And when Tommy's possessive and protective. It makes me all sorts of happy. So, you know. Your story has that going for it. Keep it up. _And then to say;_ Okay. Seriously. Where's the update. You'd make a really bad drug dealer, you know that? Get people all addicted and then abscond with the candy. Bad girl! More fic!_

Well, yep, this story definitely has that going for it. And I'm gonna apologize profusely for the delay. I would make a lousy drug dealer, probably get stabbed at a very early point in my career. I don't think I can say more than that. 

            And another new reviewer, CJ354, who said, 

            _OMG, Great story! More of the stuff with Tommy being all sweet and protective, and more smoochies_!

            This isn't more Tommy, unfortunately at the moment, my muse has a soft spot for poor Merton, who can barely deal with himself, let alone his best friends feeling's for him. But I promise the next chapter will be Tommy, and there will most likely be smoochies. 

            And last, but certainly not least, Solis, who said, 

_            You shall write more...otherwise the voices in my head will be forced to make me write a story of my own and that won't be productive at all. Seriously, nothing good will come of it. I didn't realize it was supposed to be cliche though, I just...you know, thought it was a kick ass story. Not so much ironic or mocking, just cool. It wasn't like...bad, like the unintentially cliche stories are. It was good._

            Okay, I did write more, and the cliché thing kinda died after the fourth chapter. Merton and Tommy were just so sweet I couldn't break up the sweet love with a little sarcasm, and then I found the story to be compelling, in spite of the clichés it featured. And if you write a Tommy/Merton fic of your own, tell me where to find it. The world needs a little more Tommy/Merton. 

            Another incredibly long delay in the writing process. I'm terribly sorry. I wasn't entirely crazy about chapter ten, so I nit picked a little bit, and reposted it. And I finally finished chapter eleven, which was a horrible thing to write. My muse knows that I've only planned one more chapter and an epilogue, and she's determined to drag this out as long as she can. Thank you all for your patience. 

            So thank you to Sammy-Mackie, whose still coming back. I simply cannot believe you haven't given up on me yet. Thank you so very much.

            And thank you to Xixie; who had a lot to say. 

_I was so excited when I saw that you had updated. I check every day, just to be sure. I think that you're doing a wonderful job with Merton's characterization. It's exactly the kind of justification you go through when you start to deal with your less than heterosexual feelings.   
I did a little happy dance myself, when I saw the update. Luckily, I'm in my office and the door is closed, so I'm fairly sure I don't have to go into witness protection or anything.   
Also, and this is a sidenote. Once I was watching The Price is Right. And Danny Smith (Merton) was on it. He won the showcase showdown and the chick that plays Lori came up to meet Bob. I was entirely too happy. And it's really hard to find people my own age who actually know who the guy is.   
That was totally unrelated to your fic. But, really, how often can I say that it absolutely wonderful? Okay. At least once more. It's absolutely wonderful. Keep it up and update soon. I have finals coming up and I need the distraction._

            Thank you so very much, very very much. Unfortunately, I had finals too, and couldn't afford the distraction. I tried to put a lot of my own emotions into Merton, and I think it shows. Not being a guy, I'm pretty sure that I'm on shaky ground. Being less than heterosexual, I had to try. Too many slash fics avoid the entire issue of self-discovery altogether, and I thought it was fairly important in a fandom like BWOC because the characters are young. No one understands themselves completely at that age. Thank you very much for reading/reviewing.  

            Another thank you to Allen Newkirk;

            _I must say I love this fic. I use to watch BWoC all of the time, but i had to stop for some time, now i can't find it any more. YOur fic, and fics like yours, make me want to find BW again and watch it more. THanks bunches for writing it. PLease write more, I'll give you a hug... or some chocolate, or anything you want..._

The only place to get BWOC anymore is YTV, unfortunately. And it's always on at extremely late hours. And reviews are usually pretty effective to keep me writing. Thank you so very much. 

            And Solis is back! Thank you so very much. 

_            Wee. New chappie new chappie. *Happy dance* You updated! Wonderfulness. I liked this chapter and Merton's thoughts were lovely. Realistic and...well, real. Poor boy. But crawling into the shower and dying wouldn't really be overly productive now would it? I'm thinking that would be a bad idea.   
And I like how you haven't forgotten about Lori, who is either evil or pushed aside in most slash fics. Here she's...Lori, super chick off on her own and battling evil teachers. *Snickers* Which is cool.   
And if I write I'll let you know. Love this muchly,  
            _Thank you so very much. I wouldn't let Merton drown, dress him up in bunny jammies and let him cry into his pillow . . . Yes, I'm guilty of that. I like Lori, a lot! I just have a difficulty writing strong female characters. So while, she only has little snippets here and there through the story, I'm planning an epilogue with a special Lori-twist. 

            And thank you to Ash. 

            _I love this story!! Greatly written. I hope you update soon...please let Tommy and Merton get together? Pretty please, i love the angst as long as there happy in the end...happy together. ^^_

Yes, I am planning a happy ending. Sssshhhh! Don't tell anyone. . . I couldn't bear to keep Tommy and Merton apart. 

            Okay, I finally got the next chapters posted. Two! I'm very proud of myself. And there are more reviewers, which always makes me very happy. 

            First, a great big thank you to repeat reviewer Sammie-Mackie. _new__ chap new chap! i'm so happy it was a good chap i'm glad u r planning a happy ending i can't wait 4 more_

Well, I had planned one more chapter and an epilogue, but somehow it got stretched into two more chapters, and the epilogue still coming. Thank you very much. 

            Next, a thank you to GB, who said;

_ack__! *falls off chair* what?! nonononoo, Tommy and Merton are supposed to get together, why can't Merton just accept that he supposed to be with Tommy? *sighs* Well, it wouldn't be a good fic then so I should stop complaining. But wait! What about Lori, what's gonna happen to her? Are those two really that wrapped up in themselves that they can't see that something really wrong with Ms Howard? *sighs again* oh well. So, wanna find out what happens next. got to go. BYE-BYE!!_

Yes, we get to see Merton just finally give up and go with the flow in the next chapters. And yes, they really are so wrapped in themselves they have no clue what is going on. But Lori's a big strong girl, she'll take care of everything. 

And a thank you to Xixie. Enormous. 

_God you're good. Your Merton is absolutely perfect. And to put him in purple bunny pajamas, because he's the kinda guy that would actually wear them. Oh, my favorite part: when Merton thinks that he's freaked out by the "guy/guy" thing, but wants Tommy to hold him. It reminded me of high school and this girl who would brush my hair. I couldn't think about wanting to kiss her, I would have freaked, but I really liked the hair brushing. You've got the confusion down perfectly. And you've managed to seperate out the gay feelings and the low self-esteem feelings so well. They play off of each other. I just love this story. I shall be checking for updates much and often. Please be quick about it._

            I'm trying to be very quick. I'm getting last minute jitters, however, not entirely sure that I want to see Tommy and Merton go. Oh well, there's always sequels, right? 

            And thank you to Layce74. _Please write more. Cool story! Thank you very much. _

            Okay, I'm back for the last time, and I'm trying not cry. Really. 

            Thank you so much to Xixie. I know this project would have been abandoned long ago without you. 

            Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I appreciate it muchly. Now, that's not saying I don't want new reviewers, because I do, and there is nothing for a story like a little polish. 

            Thank you to Sammie-Mackie, who kept coming back for more. 

            Thank you to Layce74. 

            I think I've got something in my eye. 


End file.
